Since they are a publicly traded company, the ownership can be fluid. As a shareholder you can stay in or cash out whenever you want, if you want to simulate a

Since they are a publicly traded company, the ownership can be fluid. As a shareholder you can stay in or cash out whenever you want, if you want to simulate a profit you can sell shares periodically. So the separation between the company's internal finances and the exchange of shares on the stock market is what allows this to happen and still make sense.